Mick Hartley

Could Scotland follow the example of blue states like Washington and unquestioningly back young teens, against their parents' wishes, who say they want to transition? The signs aren't good. Children as young as 12 are, apparently, being urged to seek advice about transitioning:

The Care Inspectorate, the body responsible for regulating and inspecting care services across Scotland, has published guidance for children and young people’s services on “the inclusion of transgender including non-binary young people”. It has provoked a strong backlash from groups concerned about the impact of gender identity theory within the caring profession.

The document, drafted with controversial group LGBT Youth Scotland and issued to bodies that look after highly vulnerable children, demands an uncritical approach to those questioning their identity. Care staff are advised not to discuss youngsters’ feelings or suggest they might be going through “a phase”. Instead, they are told to immediately adopt preferred pronouns and “be supportive”.

The care watchdog makes clear that the perceived reality of a child must always be endorsed. One paragraph in the guidance says kids aged 12 and above can be “presumed to have sufficient capacity to make decisions about medical treatment”, and advises that they can be sent to the Sandyford Gender Service in Glasgow, which provides hormones and sex change surgery.

The guidance includes cases of young people who have already been helped to transition by care staff. One example positively portrays a young woman who had her breasts removed via “chest reconstruction surgery”. In a wider context where detransitioners are describing their deep regret and trauma after opting for irreversible surgeries, many will find this alarming.

Another example involves a teenager supported through “transition” by professionals, despite family members being “unsure” about it. Similar to controversial schools’ guidance produced by the Scottish Government, the Care Inspectorate tells professionals they can keep a child or young person’s new identity secret, and even choose not to document information.

Dissent doesn’t appear to be an option. The guidance states that staff must be “proactive in developing an inclusive culture and practice” by displaying posters and celebrating Trans Awareness Week. They are advised to wear rainbow lanyards, introduce themselves with “their own pronouns”, and adopt “gender-inclusive language” that erases sex. Conscientious objection isn’t mentioned once.

Oh boy. At twelve, kids are way off being able to vote, or drink, or have a tattoo, or…well, the list goes on. But they can decide they want their breasts cut off and have life-changing medication that will make them sterile….because it's cool, and edgy, and will stop all that unpleasant puberty business. This is grotesquely irresponsible: institutional capture by gender ideology, on a frightening scale.